Audyssey changed my crossovers to some crazy levels, i set everything back to THX 80hz and things sound much better.

I was still getting way too much overcooked bass with Dynamic EQ on, so I"ve opted to turn that off. I'm still getting benefit from leaving the Audyssey calibration on though, right?

Correct. There are three levels to Audyssey ... MultEQ XT ---> Dyn EQ ---> Dyn Vol. The purpose of Dyn EQ is to boost the bass and surrounds at volume levels below reference (ie. 0db). For TV and music sources that have no standard "reference" point, you can reduce the impact of Dyn EQ by raising the Reference Level Offset setting to 10db. You can also turn Dyn EQ OFF leaving MultEQ XT still ON; however, note that Dyn EQ must be set to ON if you want to use Dyn Vol for a particular source.

Correct. There are three levels to Audyssey ... MultEQ XT ---> Dyn EQ ---> Dyn Vol. The purpose of Dyn EQ is to boost the bass and surrounds at volume levels below reference (ie. 0db). For TV and music sources that have no standard "reference" point, you can reduce the impact of Dyn EQ by raising the Reference Level Offset setting to 10db. You can also turn Dyn EQ OFF leaving MultEQ XT still ON; however, note that Dyn EQ must be set to ON if you want to use Dyn Vol for a particular source.

thanks JD, i was curious about that. for my particular setup, Dyn EQ and volume would never be necessary (especially after hearing it in action) :-) so i'll leave the audyssey main settings on, and the rest off.

Is it possible to force 5.1 monitoring from a 7.1 mode? 5.1 is all I got.

Also, I like to still be able to hear stereo audio through the TV somethings. Is there a quicker way to program a mode to switch without having to go all the way into hardware settings menu? Also... is there anyway to get 2.0 to the TV while still getting surround out the pre-outs?

Is it possible to force 5.1 monitoring from a 7.1 mode? 5.1 is all I got.

Also, I like to still be able to hear stereo audio through the TV somethings. Is there a quicker way to program a mode to switch without having to go all the way into hardware settings menu? Also... is there anyway to get 2.0 to the TV while still getting surround out the pre-outs?

1. A 7.1 audio track will be downmixed to 5.1 in a 5.1 setup.

2. Other than changing "TV Audio Out" to ON via the menu, someone may have created a Logitech Harmony discrete command to do it as special non-remote commands have been created for Denon AVRs.

3. With "TV Audio Out" set to ON and RIHD set to ON, audio is passed through the FL/FR speaker posts as well as the TV, so the same is likely true for the FL/FR preouts as well.

I bought the NR709 in July-11 and everything works greats....but yesterday while listening to Pandora...it just stopped streaming. I returned to watching TV then went back into NET...and then nothing. It will display the speaker configuration on the display for 2 seconds...then go blank. All of the other input types work fine.

I already checked for duplicate IPs...and swapped the cable to the router, and all are correct.

Right now I'm updating the firmware....but I don't think that's my issue....any ideas?

I bought the NR709 in July-11 and everything works greats....but yesterday while listening to Pandora...it just stopped streaming. I returned to watching TV then went back into NET...and then nothing. It will display the speaker configuration on the display for 2 seconds...then go blank. All of the other input types work fine.

I already checked for duplicate IPs...and swapped the cable to the router, and all are correct.

Right now I'm updating the firmware....but I don't think that's my issue....any ideas?

I haven't tried Pandora yet, but i have yet to be able to find any of my songs in any of my Spotify playlists - the playlist titles show up but they all come up as "empty".

quick question - is there any reason why my 709 is indicating a 7.1 source signal when playing DTS HD Master 5.1 tracks? Even with no additional sound matrixes selected?

And the sound is definitely getting matrixed to the rear surrounds.

(PS - this is not occurring with Dolby TrueHD tracks. I'm fine with the default matrixing on DTS-HD tracks I just don't know if there is some setting it's defaulting to in order to facilitate what is happening)

I notice that the 709 has two HDMI outputs. I'm looking to replace my old receiver. I plan on connecting my Blu-Ray player and Roku to the 709. Is it possible to play a Blu-Ray disc and 5.1 sound in basement rec room and simultaneously play a netflix film with 2 channel sound in the family room upstairs?

^^
Sorry, no .... AVR's cannot output multiple sources through the HDMI outputs. You might want to consider using an 4x2 HDMI Switch to get the job done though. Another option (not using HDMI) would be to connect the 2nd source with either composite or S-video and analog audio cables and pass it as a Zone 2 source (which could then be independent from the main zone).

So I set it all up with 7.1 in zone 1, zone 2 speakers not connected.
Then connected zone 2 speakers and put FM radio on.
Good news - radio zone 1 in 5.1, radio in zone 2 stereo
Bad news - could not turn off zone 2, could not get 7.1 back in zone 1
Disconnected zone 2 speakers, re-set amp
Back to square 1 will try agin later...

So I set it all up with 7.1 in zone 1, zone 2 speakers not connected.
Then connected zone 2 speakers and put FM radio on.
Good news - radio zone 1 in 5.1, radio in zone 2 stereo
Bad news - could not turn off zone 2, could not get 7.1 back in zone 1
Disconnected zone 2 speakers, re-set amp
Back to square 1 will try agin later...

To keep 7.1 you can't have zone 2 powered. i.e. you have to have a secondary amp and you can line out to the amp and then from the second amp power the speakers. This is what I had to do. Otherwise you will have to reset the settings in the speaker set up every time you want to go from zone 2 powered back to 7.1. You can't do it on any of these receivers by simply pressing an on off button.

To keep 7.1 you can't have zone 2 powered. i.e. you have to have a secondary amp and you can line out to the amp and then from the second amp power the speakers. This is what I had to do. Otherwise you will have to reset the settings in the speaker set up every time you want to go from zone 2 powered back to 7.1. You can't do it on any of these receivers by simply pressing an on off button.

OK I understand that - I'm trying to get to a situation where if zone 2 is not powered I can have 7.1 in zone 1 and if zone 2 is powered I don't mind having 5.1 in zone 1 and stereo in zone 2 - radio or analogue

I got it once - but then could not turn off zone 2 or get back to 7.1 in zone 1

OK I understand that - I'm trying to get to a situation where if zone 2 is not powered I can have 7.1 in zone 1 and if zone 2 is powered I don't mind having 5.1 in zone 1 and stereo in zone 2 - radio or analogue

I got it once - but then could not turn off zone 2 or get back to 7.1 in zone 1

That's exactly what I wanted too. But, sadly once it is configured as 5.1 and powered in zone 2, you can't go back to 7.1 unless you reconfigure the whole set up process from scratch as if you just took it out of the box for the first time. It's a bummer, but according to my av guy that is how all these systems work- there is no button to simply switch from 5.1 and powered zone 2 to just 7.1 again.

So what I did is buy a servo 200 amp. I run and left and right RCA from the onkyo to the amp through the zone 2 out RCA jacks on the back. And I wired my zone 2&3 into the amp. Now the onkyo is always in 7.1 and the zone 2 on and off button just turns on and off the output to the secondary amp ( I.e. unpowered). Works great.

I am going into my 3rd week of ownership with my 709, So far everything is good. On Saturday, I have left the puppy on for almost 14 Hours non stop, of course the volume level was in the mid 50s and didn't feel any heat issue.

All features and all output are working well, except that I am not able to make the unit play in "96Khz/24 bit" format. I don't have a Blu ray player, so I have not tested the DTS-HD part. I have only tried it with my OPPO dvd and PC via Xonar DS.

With Oppo I played a Denon reference CD that has classic pieces recorded in "96khz/24bit", If I use the HDMI I get only 48 Khz, If I used the Multichannel, Onkyo doesn't even show the frequency.

With Xonar DS audio card I have the option of using digital (which does a on the fly DTS convertion) that again shows only 48khz. But atleast with Xonar if I select the PCM option, Onkyo does picks up 96Khz stream, but still '96/24' format indicator on the front panel of the Onkyo doesn't lite up.

Another thing with Xonar / Onkyo handshake is that '96 Khz' is the maximum that onkyo recognizes, If I choose 192Khz nothing comes out.

Is there any known limitations or some advanced hidden menu that I need to unlock?

Just a quick update. After the issue I was having with the auto set-up, everything is working great now. The sound is extremely clean and in your face. I always preferred the "harsher" sound the Onkyos have and this one does not disappoint. Tested few blu rays with lossless sound and regular DD, and everything sounds better than expected. No known issues as of right now (had it for 5 days). Heat is minimal too, and nothing even close to being too hot.
The exploding cafe street in Inception was chill inducing. I was floored how accurate and crystal clear it was.
All in all, extremely happy with the purchase.

Thanks SethKo - didn't really want to keep my old a/v amp just to power the zone 2 - but I suppose that's probably my best option at the moment - if she will let me ;-)

I use a VERY old receiver buried in my basement to power the rock speakers on my outside patio. Not looking for high fidelity outside, just good enough music/sound to light up the back yard when i want.

I currently have a set of JBL SCS135 speakers ,rated 100W, which I used for 7.2 sound with my Onkyo TS SR707. This receiver is rated at 100W per channel and is being swapped out for a TS NR709 rated at 110W per channel. The 707 stopped producing sound.
Do I need to get new speakers for the new receiver as the wattage exceeds that of the speakers? Will the JBL's work or blow the receiver?

I currently have a set of JBL SCS135 speakers ,rated 100W, which I used for 7.2 sound with my Onkyo TS SR707. This receiver is rated at 100W per channel and is being swapped out for a TS NR709 rated at 110W per channel. The 707 stopped producing sound.
Do I need to get new speakers for the new receiver as the wattage exceeds that of the speakers? Will the JBL's work or blow the receiver?

I would not worry about it unless you play your receiver at full volume and like listening to distortion. On the serious side, the receive has an option to limit the maximum volume which is what I would recommend. Maybe something like 80 or so, but I rarely need to get above 60 on mine for most music, TV and movie watching.

Onkyo replaced my 707 with a 709 last month and luckily my polks are good up to 200Watts.

I just hooked up an external amp with my Onkyo 709 receiver, I have the amp hooked up with 12v trigger for turn on thru my receiver. When I plug in the mic to run Audyssey my amp turns off? What am I doing wrong?

I just hooked up an external amp with my Onkyo 709 receiver, I have the amp hooked up with 12v trigger for turn on thru my receiver. When I plug in the mic to run Audyssey my amp turns off? What am I doing wrong?

Hmm. I think the 709 goes into a special mode when the Audyssey mic is connected. It's expecting you to run the setup program. Are you using the pre-amp outs?

I currently have a set of JBL SCS135 speakers ,rated 100W, which I used for 7.2 sound with my Onkyo TS SR707. This receiver is rated at 100W per channel and is being swapped out for a TS NR709 rated at 110W per channel. The 707 stopped producing sound.
Do I need to get new speakers for the new receiver as the wattage exceeds that of the speakers? Will the JBL's work or blow the receiver?

Some recommend using an AVR that is rated at 2x that of the speaker so as to have enough power to provide a clean signal. A few things to note: (a) Neither AVR is actually putting out that much power ... likely closer to 65W in 7.2 mode, (b) The difference between a 100W and 110W AVR is moot, and (c) On average your speakers are likely drawing <5W/CH.

I just hooked up an external amp with my Onkyo 709 receiver, I have the amp hooked up with 12v trigger for turn on thru my receiver. When I plug in the mic to run Audyssey my amp turns off? What am I doing wrong?

Is the amp turned ON and set to 50% volume if there is a volume control?